Last.



PATENTBD APR. 7, 1908-.

W. H. HOOPER.

LAST.

APPLIQATION FILED 00T. e. 190e.

. EMM.

lj-nessesj w@ Q ff/ fm.

y on the line 3-3, Fig. 2.

rawings and 1n the par- WILLIAM H. HOOPE, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS,

ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO

THOMAS G. PLANT, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

LAST.

To all urli om it mag/ronccrnf:

Be it known that l, WILLIAM H. Hoornn, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Lynn, in the county of Essex and State oi Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Lasts, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

The invention to be hereinafter described relates to divided lasts employed in the manufacture of boots and shoes, more particularly to such as are provided with a. tlexible connection, tor associating the parts of the last together. f "T My invention aims generally to rovide an improved last wherein the iiexib e connection joining the parts of the last is so dis osed that it is kept out of contact with the ining of the shoe to prevent injuring or soiling the same.

W ith the above general objects in view the invention consists of the parts and combinations which will be best understood and epprec-iated vby referring to the follou ing description when taken in connect-ion wit i the accompanying ,drawings of a last embodying one form of my invention and selected for purposes of illustration, its scope being more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

' In the drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation' of the last embodying one form ol my invention, the instep block being shown as separated therefrom and partialhv turned up to show means for securing and housing the cord; Fig. 2 is a similar view broken out to show the instep blockii place and the cord housed c or retained between said block and the last.; .and Fig. 3 is a vertical cross section lookingt'oft'he rear, taken Referring to the t ticular embodiment of mv invention herein selected for purposes of illustration, 1 represents the body or thelast. proper (Fig. 1) Which may be of struction but as herein shown is preferably out away at its upper side to form a curvilinear surface or seat 2 tor the instep block 3, which has a lower surface 4, (Fig. 1) of converse sha e to said seat to fit upon the same. For etermining the'position ot the lower end of this instep block and for retain- Specication of Letters Patent.

Application led October 9, 1906. Serial No. 338,105.

with parts' any suitable or desired con-` Patented apra v, isos.

ing it in lace upon the last body 1, the latter is provi( ed with a positioning stud 5 (Fig. 1) projecting from the surface of said seat 2, and with which a socket 6, at the under side of said instep block, registers when the latter is in place thereon. At its forward portion this socket Flares outwardly as at 7, so that as the instep block is placed upon the last the tapered opening thus formed may e age the said stud 5 and be directed thereby into its proper position, For similarly deteri iner the position and preventing lateral motio i oi' the upper end of said instep blockV upon the last body, the seat of the latter, adjacent its upper portion, is similarly providedwith a rounded stud S, adapted to engage a socket 9, formed at the under side oi the instep block and adjacent its up er end. This stud and the socket with which) it registers are approximately perpendicular to said surfaces 2 and 4.

For connecting or associating the two parts of the divided last together so .that they may not be separated, misplaced or lost during the various processes of lasting, leveling or otherwise iinishing the boot or shoe, T have provided a flexible' connection, in the present embodiment of my invention shown as a cord 10, one end of which is secured as at 11 to said last l, at the upper any suitable means. The opoosite end of said cord is secured as at 13 (liig. 2) to the under side and adj acelitl the lower end or" said instep block 2. At 'its under side the instep block is provided with a longitudinal groove Yor recess 14 within which the lov/er end of the cord .is secured, this roove being ot' sufiicient depth to receive said cord 10, and forming a. housing for the cord when the instep block is iu place upon the last. This cord is slightly longer than the distance between its attached ends when the arts of the last are assembled to permit tlie lower end of said block to be slid up to the upper end of the last, so that portion thereof by i the latter may be easily inserted in the shoe and the last block then slid aiown upon its seat unt-il secured in position thereon. By this arrangement a maximum separation of part-s is secured with a minimum length ot cord and in inserting the last and positioning the instep block thereon by sliding the latter down upon its seat in the manner just described, said cord is normally confined between the seating faces of` said parte and naturally seats or arranges itself in said roove 14 leaving a small and short loop rojectin'Jr above the juncture of' the last ane in- 'step blloclr, which may be operated upon t'o separate the block from the last and for withdrawing said parts troni the shoe.

As 'will be noted by referring to Fig. l, the

Acord receiving groove 14 is at one side ot the socket 9, so that as the instep bloclr is placed in osition and the stud enters into the soc et, it engages and compresses the cord 10 to one side of said groove, thereby yieldiiigly locking the block and last together.

When it is desired to withdraw the last from theshoe a pull upon the loop 15 will disengage the cord, pin and socket, permit ting the ready separation of the block and last, so that first one and then the other may be easily withdrawn from the shoe.

In the present embodiment of my invention, the upper rear corner of the instep block is cut away to provide a -tl-shaped socket 16 between the said instep block and the adjacent 'tace of the last to provide a loop seator suitable clearance for the loo 15. By this arrangement of the cord and tie means for housing it within the last, as by said groove, it will be apparent that the cord or the loo thereof cannot come in Contact with the lining of the shoe, nor can it interfere with the manipulation of the last 'in placing it in the shoe or mounting said last-upon any of the usual types ot shoe su porting jacks.

While in the present ein )odiinent ol' my invention l have shown the groove as being entirely within the instep block, obviously, this is not essential, as the groove may be variously formed `or disposed to seat the cord when the parts of the last are assembled. The last is also provided with the usual spindle hole 17 by which it is adapted to be mounled upon the s indie of the heel support of a jack, by whica thc last and the shoe thereon may be niore conveniently handled.

By my invention, means are provided by which the cord is normally retained between the parts ol' the last or out ol" possible contact with the lining of the shoe, so that the latter' cannot be soiled oi' otherwise injured' thereby, and by connecting one end ol the cord lo thc lower end ot the instep block and the other end to a convenient and adj aceiit portion of the last, maximum separation oit the last parts secured consistent with minii'nuin length ol cord 4and also tending to maintain it in a central longitudinal position Abetween said parts.

liurtherniore, by keep f ing the greater portion oi' the cord continu al housed within or between the parts of the ing out away adjacent the line last, the soiling of the cord is also to a con' siderable de ree prevented, avoiding the necessity for c eansmg the saine,

It will be obvious that my invention is not limited to the specific details or to the arrangement of parts herein shown for illustrative ur oses only, but that the saine may be nioiiie and varied within wide limits without departing from the spirit thereof,` Y NV hat l claim is l. A last comprising separate parts andv having a lon itudinal. groove between said e in said groove secured at its bppositei ends to relatively oppositeI ends of said parts to secure maximum se aration of said parts with minimum lengt of the -eXihle connection the length of said flexible connection be- `parts and a exible connection adapted to i.

tween its oints of attachment being greater than the istance between said points when the parts are'in assembled relation.

2. A last comprising separate parts and having a lon itudinal groove between said arts and a ie in said groove and secured at its opposite ends to relatively opposite ends of said parts tosecure maximum separation of said parts with minimum length of the flexible connection, said connection formin'g a loop'project- 'l 'ing from between the parts of the a said parts are in place.

`St when 3. A last-comprising which is provided with a'lon itudinal gI'OQVe and a flexible connection aa'ptedto lie -in said 'groove and secured at its opposite ends to relatively opposite portions'of said parts to secure maximum separation of said parts with minimum length of the flexible connection, said flexible connection being longer than the distance between the points of. attachment of said connection when thepartS. are assembled whereby a loop is presented above the juncture of said'parts to facilitate manipulating the same.

4f. A last com rising two separate vparte exible connection adapted to two parts, onejof having -a longitu mal groove between them and a flexible connection adapted to lie in said groove and secured at its op osite ends to relatively oppositeportions o said parts to secure maximum separation of said parts with minimum length of the flexible connection, said flexible connection being longer than the distance between the points of attachment of said connection when the parts are assembled whereby a'loop is presented above the juncture of said parts to facilitate manipulating the same, one of said parts beto provide a loop seat". l'

5. A last comprising two separate parts, one of which is provided with' a longitudinal of separation groove in its seating face, and a flexible connection uniting said parts, said connection having one of its ends secured adjacent the end oi the groove in one of said parts thereof,

esseci I and the' other of said ends secured tmfthe other part adjacent the head of said last, said connection between its oints of attachment being longer than thel lstance between said 5 points when the parts are in assembled relation. 6. A last comprising two vseparat parts, oneof whichis proyided with a longitudinal grooveih its seatinglface, and a flexible con-l nection `unitingsaid parts, said connection havin one ofits ends secured adjacent they 'end` o the cove' in one of said parts, and the other o 'said' ends secured tothe other part: adjacent thejhead of said last, said connection being normally'retained between said parts in separating and assembling them and forming a loo projecting from between slaid parts when t ey are/assembled. i -7.- Aliast comprising two separate parts adapted to fit one u' on the other having one .of 'said parts provi ed ,with a groove and a flexibleconnection adapted to lie in said. groove having'one of its ends secured to one y of the parts adjacent the' lower end of said groove and its other end secured to the upper end `of, the other of 'said parts, said conneca tion being longer than' the distance between its attached ends when the parts of the last are assembled to prvide an upwardly. projecting loop tovfacilitate manipulating said 'arts" 1' I f 8.,; Q'Alltwo art last' comprising a body porv tin and ,ajb 'ck ,adapted to be seated thereon, means `for securing them in assembled 35 position,'-one of said parts having a groove in' its seatingface, and aiiexible connection secured at one end'tune of said parts'adjacent one end of said cove and at its other end to the other of sai @parts adjacent the opposite end ofsaid groo'vgsaid connection normally extending in said groove between the seating faces of said arts and forming a loop projecting fromA etween the parts when said i parts v are;a'sseinbled for separating and maspuma A-,t'wo art. -last`v comprising a last body 'vrviddwith tblock" seat, an instep bloc aving a coperating's'eating face, one of said parts having a longitudinal groove in its seatin face, and la flexible connection arran e therein when said arts are assemble and secured at one o itsv ends to the bottomv ofsaid block and at its outer end to the head of said body, the length of the said :se connection being greaterthan ithe distance 'last and for withdrawing -the' same fromtljiey 'register therewith, and connection recei v` between the attached ends of said connection when the parts are assembledto forma short,- loop pro'ectiug from the juncture vof sad parte at t e head ofthe last. and bywhich said i. parte ina, be manipulated.- A 5 Grilled" Provide@ v 10. 4A t ofthe type des withan'instep block means for dete .and Securi am blck in'posaio onsai last, a exib e connection arranged'between said last and block fon assoclating t nies together, and means intermediate said last andf block for housing said connection'when' said block is seated on said last to prevent its contactingf'with the shoe, said connectionllifj; being of a length to form a loop projecting4 70 from between and above the juncture'f sai last and block for separating'A the block and.

shoe. v 'f l11'. A two part last having a' last 'bo'd rovided with a block seat,' an instep bloc avin a coperatin seating face therefonja iexib e connection or associating the bloc with its last body', one of said partslhavingv `positioning stud and'the other a recess t means between said body and block adapte r to house the greater portion thereof when th v. Ablock is assembled u on its last body?, sai stud and recess an connection ',receivingl 85" means all coperatingwith said '\connection go (liaind the same and said block to said lastl o y. i l.

12. A last having se arable, parts and a` flexible connectionattac ed at its ends to the v'90 last arts respectively -on faces of s'aid parts whic are opposed to each other when the parts are assembled, the len th of said' connection being greater than 't e distance bei tweenl its attaching 'portions' normally to 95 cause a loop to be formed exteriorl therein when the parts are assembled and y'which the latter maybe mani ulated...

13. In a last, the bo y `1, an instep block 3, and aiiexibl connection 10 formi 4a'loop jioO 15 when the arts are assembled, sadg-con'- name to this specification, inthe p .my a, presence of ave slgn'ed two subscribing witnesses. f

` WILLIAM -Hf- Hoeren. l

Witnesses:

A ANALno M. ENGLISH,

SrDNEY F. Sums. 

